Home · 2013 Ford Focus Bev · Complaints

What 2,157 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Ford Focus Bev

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (2,157)Crash / fire / injury (63)Transmission & drivetrain (1,131)Engine (355)Electrical system (295)Steering (279)Fuel system (270)Speed control (115)Body & structure (83)Latches & locks (52)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (39)Visibility & wipers (29)

Newest first · 2,157 complaints · page 11 of 87

Jan 13, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at 20-30 MPH, the vehicle started jerking. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact drove to a stop sign and waited for traffic to subside before crossing to the other side of the road as the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The contact stated that as she began to drive, the vehicle continued to jerk and downshift as if it was going to stall. The contact stated that she continued to depress the accelerator pedal and the vehicle accelerated to 60 MPH, then downshifted again to 20 MPH. The contact was able to drive to her residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the transmission clutch had failed and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,637.

NHTSA ODI 11447336

Jan 11, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

This car has a bad clutch/Auto transmission problem. It shudders and has to be replaced. I had mine replaced at 67,206 miles. Now 15,000 miles later, it has to be replaced again. Ford knows of this problem. Just about everyone who owns this car has had at least 1 replaced if not 3. Ford knows of the problem. Ford should have to pay for my repair. I am sure lots of other focus owners would like to get them replaced or get reimbursed for repairs they were forced to pay for.

NHTSA ODI 11447079

Jan 11, 2022

While driving the vehicle the power steering completely failed and it became impossible to steer (except with great effort). If this had happened on the highway at speed it could easily have caused a major accident. I have seen hundreds of complaints about this problem on the internet, but there has been no recall for this highly dangerous defect.

NHTSA ODI 11447090

Jan 6, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

My Ford Focus Electric has been experiencing sudden loss of power and then getting "stop safely now" messages. After a while it will run again. I brought it to Phil Long Ford of Denver back in August and they hooked up a testing unit and said they found nothing. During September, the car experience the "SSN" failure, and then would not start. I brought it to Phil Long Ford and they said it was a battery failure and would cost $19,000 to replace the battery and control unit. I researched the issue and see the Focus Electric was recalled for sudden loss of power while driving. It is NHTSA Campaign ID 13V523000 and NTHSA Action Number PE13031 . I asked Phil Long Ford to perform the recall and make the car safe to drive. They refused.

NHTSA ODI 11446529

Jan 4, 2022

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that his vehicle would stall soon after filling up as the check engine light would illuminate on the instrument panel. The vehicle had been serviced prior to the failure under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V515000(FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). Both the dealer and the manufacturer have been notified of the failure and both informed him that they could not offer any additional service. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.

NHTSA ODI 11446155

Dec 21, 2021Lights

The system has not failed yet, but the exterior lights of this car are a safety concern to me and my family. There is no visibility at night, when it is raining, or any tough conditions on the road. With no proper illumination, the risk for an accident is higher. These exterior lights need to be replaced with better quality lights. I called the Ford dealership where I bought the car and I gave them my car pin number, and they told me there are no recalls for this vehicle regarding exterior lights.

NHTSA ODI 11444549

Dec 20, 2021Transmission & drivetrain

On the freeway and I received an error message stating to put the transmission on park on the interstate and the car shut down and almost hit several vehicles. This is very unsafe and don’t want anyone else to experience this. It was telling me to put it in park and I couldn’t shift it to park because I didn’t want the car go in a dead stop on a 5 lane freeway. And it has this bad shudder and I’ve replaced several components and find this very unsafe to drive as well as I feel like I’m going to hit a car in front of me!

NHTSA ODI 11444368

Dec 14, 2021Steering

Power steering assist failed while driving on the highway. I pulled over and turned off the car to investigate and the steering wheel locked up.

NHTSA ODI 11443763

Dec 14, 2021Transmission & drivetrain

I have a 2013 Ford Focus 4 Door Hatchback, It is at 70k miles and has been giving problems taking off from first gear. I took to Ford dealer to be evaluated and it’s the dul clutch system going bad which they have had many issues with. I feel is a safety issue I’m getting ready to have a baby and what if my car doesn’t go and hesitates and someone hits me or I get stuck in the middle of traffic! They had a warranty service for this issue on my exact car but you had to receive a paper in the mail to have the issue fixed which I am not the first owner and didn’t receive the letter. They also upped the warranty on the vehicle to 7 years 100k miles and unfortunately my vehicle was driven to little for the problem to become noticeable in the 7 years as it only has 70k on it. I called customer relations to see if they could cover this because it’s only fair they replace and fix since it’s been a on going issue with these vehicles and only has 70k on it.

NHTSA ODI 11443818

Dec 13, 2021Transmission & drivetrainFuel system

Check engine light came on Saturday morning on my way to work, When checked it comes up as fault codes P0420, with secondary codes of P144A - EVAP Emission System Purge Vapor Line Restricted/blocked, P1450 - Unable to bleed up fuel tank vacuum, and P0131 - O2 Circuit Low Voltage (Bank 1, Sensor 1), And started stalling after putting new gas in only, and now hesitates at lower gears and has a rougher then normal idle with the rps not staying steady, Also when doing a VIN check on Fords website, or the NHTSA lookup it does not show up as a recall, however when I do a full VIN check it does show under the recalls page, I'm not sure if they marked it as completed for the VIN of this vehicle or not but its doing literally all the stuff stated in Ford Safety Recall 18S32 18V735000 or 19S22 19V515000, but when trying to chat Ford about it they deny there is one even though the NHTSA OVERVIEW states: All of the affected vehicles previously had Ford Safety Recall 18S32 performed; however, updated powertrain control module (PCM) software was not available at that time. Ford Motor Company wants to ensure the software is updated to the most current release available. In some of the affected vehicles, the PCM software may not adequately detect a stuck-open canister purge valve (CPV) within the fuel vapor system. If the CPV malfunctions and sticks open, it can lead to excessive vacuum in the fuel vapor system, allowing the plastic fuel tank to deform. This can cause the following symptoms: • Illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) P0420, P1450, P0443, P0452, P0456, P0460 and/or P2196 • Inaccurate or erratic fuel gauge indication • Inaccurate distance to empty (DTE) • Engine stall and/or other drivability concerns related to stuck open CPV I have only had the car 2 months as of tomorrow, and am a single dad raising my 6 month old son alone, I cannot have this breakdown completely and risk a accident when it should be covered by recall

NHTSA ODI 11443669

Dec 10, 2021Visibility & wipers

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the windshield wipers were inadvertently activated. The windshield wipers failed to operate when the contact attempted to activate the wipers. The contact was unable to drive the vehicle when it rained due to the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The mechanic informed the contact that an unknown part needed to be replaced and the vehicle needed to be taken to the dealer for repair. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was not manufactured with the unknown part and the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ODI 11443360

Dec 8, 2021Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while he was at a stop sign, the vehicle inadvertently started shuddering significantly. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle as he was close to arriving at his residence. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the automatic clutch transmission needed to be replaced and that the failure was related to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that they could not assist as the vehicle was out of warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI 11443086

Nov 30, 2021Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the warning light illuminated indicating that the transmission was hot. The contact was forced to stop and allow the transmission to cool down before proceeding whenever the warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle would fail to exceed 50 MPH. Additionally, whenever the vehicle was driven for an extended period, the transmission warning light would illuminate. The contact stated that she took the vehicle to the dealer and the TCM was replaced. The contact was also informed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the clutch had been previously repaired under recall however, the vehicle started to experience the failure. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that she would be responsible for the repair. The failure mileage was 150,0Hotline QCF00.

NHTSA ODI 11442088

Nov 27, 2021Fuel system

Daughter's car has hesitation when driving, took to son who is mechanic. He said it has hesitation, cough idle, loss of power and the gas tank is malformed. He said he looked up the vin and it showed recall 18532-51. I looked on fords website and see that this is recall for their reference number 19S22. My son said this is dangerous because that issue with the fuel tank vacuum could cause the gas tank to crack. I called ford service center to schedule a recall repair but they told me her vin does not show that recall. This car has all the symtoms of the recall, the vin showed up for my son, and the recall is mentioned on fords werbsite. We need to have this repaired. It is a known issue for 2012-2013 ford focuses. Why wouldn't her car be covered??

NHTSA ODI 11441814

Nov 24, 2021Fuel system

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that she was unable to add more than 3 gallons of fuel to the vehicle. The contact also stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they stated that the vapor canister needed replacement. The contact stated that for the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V515000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the VIN was not included. The contact mentioned that the previous owner had experienced the failure starting in 2018. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to call the NHTSA for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 11441620

Nov 12, 2021Steering

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering assist fault warning message was displayed. The vehicle lost power steering and the vehicle was difficult to steer. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the failure was corrected. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with steering control module failure. The steering control module and rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

NHTSA ODI 11440205

Nov 1, 2021Transmission & drivetrainAirbags

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the vehicle would hesitate upon the depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The contact also stated that the passenger’s side air bag was defective and would not recognize an occupant seated in the passenger’s seat. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where they inspected the vehicle and made repairs; however, both failures returned soon after the repairs. The contact stated that she had sent a letter to the manufacturer for assistance but had not received a response. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 66,000.

NHTSA ODI 11438847

Oct 29, 2021Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle would hesitate upon the depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where repairs to the transmission were performed; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11438634

Oct 27, 2021Electrical systemLightsEngine

This car started to make loud engine noises which caused the car to shut off then it restarted on it's on I finally got it to parking lot when I cut it off it still was rattling and clacking like I was cranking it up on the left side of engine so I waited till about 30 minutes what ever it was it killed my battery then it started back up again but then through a check engine light on but when I got it checked it wouldn't read any codes so the display on board of the car read transmission shift in reverse but I wasn't in reverse so it was stuck in transmission mode and could not drive it I got it at a shop which they only would say a transmission, but they only wants to put a transmission in with out checking if it could be anything else like a electrical problem but he says no a transmission so now I'm only at 150k miles and this goes out without notice, I even asked about the transmission acuator but he says no the whole transmission, I just got the car like 3 months ago, and that is no good

NHTSA ODI 11438313

Oct 26, 2021

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to drive to his residence at 40 MPH but felt that the vehicle was running out of fuel. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V735000 (Fuel System, Gasoline) and NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V495000 (Electrical System). The failure mileage was approximately 93,783.

NHTSA ODI 11438225

Oct 23, 2021Transmission & drivetrain

Transmission. The check engine light came on. After I shut it off it wouldn't start again. If I put it in natural it would start. Brought it to a garage and they said i needed newTransmission. This happened in June. The garage looked it up and said there was a recall on on 2013 focus. Called holt motors in cokato, mn and they said there was no recalls on them.

NHTSA ODI 11437906

Oct 20, 2021Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle started to shudder. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer but was unaware of the diagnostic result. The contact was also unaware of what repair was performed. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The contact took the vehicle to a second local dealer, Bill Pierre Ford Service & Parts Department (12531 30th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98125: (206) 364-1095) on 1/1/2018 but was unaware of the diagnostic test results. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11437453

Oct 16, 2021Transmission & drivetrain

Approaching the George Washington bridge, I was in very very heavy traffic, stopping, starting, going super slowly. Warning light came on telling me to get off the road safely and let the transmission rest for 5 minutes. I followed directions then it happened again, stopped, waited, and it happened again. It is a dangerous area to pull off the road, very narrow breakdown lanes, big trucks, etc etc. Apparently, this is a chronic problem with the Ford Focus of certain years. There are some situations when one cannot get off the road safely, so this is potentially very dangerous. If one doesn't follow the directions one can have an even more serious transmission failure.

NHTSA ODI 11437027

Oct 15, 2021Steering

- Steering rack and pinion failed while driving and is currently being repaired at dealership - Safety was out at risk due to the malfunctioning occurring while car was being driven. Steering became extremely difficult and felt as if wheel was locking-up. - Car was taken to dealership twice regarding the malfunction. First resolution was updating the power steering control module software. Steering was fixed for one week before the issue re-appeared while driving. During second visit at the dealership, it was determined that the steering rack and pinion will need replacing. - There was no warning messages or symptoms prior to the malfunctioning occurring.

NHTSA ODI 11436925

Oct 12, 2021Transmission & drivetrain

Transmission stalled on highway. Have had this car three days and already have stalling out and no power problems! This car is a dangerous vehicle! My 17 year old grandson was almost hit by a truck. The dealership said no problems with the transmission on this car, but after reading all the information about the transmission and many other safety issues, all of these cars should be removed and replaced. Ford made a really dangerous car in those years. It should get a zero safety rating. And the locks are a huge safety issue! Platte valley ford in Kearney said they would look at the lock recall when we brought the car back for transmission flush, but after purchasing this dangerous car three days ago, and already having this transmission stalling out problem, it is time to take legal action! [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11436444

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Working with the data? Download all 2,157 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 23, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2013 Ford Focus Bev verdict →